Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-26
THE PROCLAMATION.
GLApsToYEs DEKUNcIArI0g OF THE
MEASURE in COMMONS.
reDand for the Information Upon Which
the IIish Lesgue Was Proclaimed
Mr. Balfour's Reply.

81 Commons this evening when he
arose 10 move his resolution "that an
humble address l. presented to the
Queen reprcs, utlng that the Niceroy of
Ireland has proclaimed the Nation i
League n dang rous ASSOCIATION that
no information has been furnished TO
Parliament 10 justify ;he proclamation,
ly virtue OF which her MaieS,y's sub
i,cts are 10 he rendered liable 10 he
iumsbcd as criminals without Judicial
INQUIRY into tac nature Of their actJ,
and that the iloasc, IN the abserce
q, such information, prays that said
PROCLAMATION shall MT continue in force
~ 10 tie association named and de-
scnhcd therein
Mr. Gladstone said that the Irish
Niccroy. in declaring tlat tle league
had incitcd tovioltnce, must have acted
on information. but where was that in
formation ? The Irish chiefs had a
night 10 demand 10 know the grounds
ON which the Government acted. II the
facts were withheld the opposition must
forthwith urge three propositions upon
the House and the Govern nent:
First That II was a slight--almost an
outrage on the dignity OF Parliament
t. suppose that 1t was t. discharge such
m important statutory duty without
knowing the grounds.
Second. That It reduced 10 utter de-
shuclion and to an absurli'y the main
cont, ution that the Government adj
Nmcod during the discussion OF the
crimes act: that the sa'egulrd
promised had proved a farce. lie
.a,l,d what was the value or meaning
Of parliamentary approval given in
Ignorance OF facts? Why not follow
n, course taken 10y Wellington and
Pod iu 1899 regarding the Catholic
Ioasuc and suppress it
Third. What could the House think
Of information that they must thus
know would not see the light ?
Cheers
Mr. Gladstone said he had always
cont,nded that the Government were
legislaiing against combinations apu,
from crime. and now was the time for
tie Government to show that he aud
ms friends were wrong. But the Gov
eminent shrnnk from the test and de
c!utd the challenge. They had substi-
tnted an arbitrary will for regular legal
action. This principle was the most
dangerous and disgrAceful one in any
country, and especially in Ireland.
The law in ireland was still on trial.
Tie great misfortune was that those
Who administer II, especially locally,
were not in sympathy with the feelings
Of the people.
The proclamation Of the National
League, Mr.. Gladstone declared, was
J car approach To "A declaration of war
On the Insh people. The people Of
Ireland gon,mlly sympithizcd with tie
league because they believed that it
hs4 icen their salvation. Parnell't
cl.crs.l Nobody dill ANYTHING for the
tenants until the league was founded.
Tie Government were pressing Ireland
v,ry hard. and It was evident that they
intended to work and act by summary
jurisdiction The Government action
excluded the House from
anything except an absurd aud
Icrinnctory operation in connec-
. on with theHgreat duty devolv-
ING upon il under the statute.
Their cognizance of THIS proclamation
vi reduced TO a mere farce, and there
would he no Jury, judge, or resident
ara 10 Parliament TO con
troll Ireland. There would be nothing
but an absolute. unmitigated, arbitrary
act of TIE Irish Executive, which was
neces sarily partisan. he hoped that
the irish wopld continue to bear the
pressure. They would not have t.
suffer long. 1t was certain that they
wou'd nos OF Y the law through
fear Icreersl, but from n strong,
vivid, buoyant hope, which even
~ the last election WAS not damaged,
which now WAS brighter and lveller
Cheers The irish believed that the
policy had not the sane
ton Of the British nation. Irish
cheers. The Governments iounda,
ton was slipping from under them, ana
their action IN reference to the procla-
nation of the league showed thtt Their
strength WAS fading. Ireland, seeing
TIM trusted the English nation to iul-
I'll her reasonable WISHES. and was con
yIucod that her expectations would not
be disappointed.
Mr.. Gladstone then presented his
resolution amid prolonged cheers.
Mr.. Balfour SAID Mr.. Gladstone
vonld have been wiser had he rested
his argument on the allegation that
tie House was Ignorant Of the grounds
for the proclamation rather than on the
defence of the league. The Govern
mtn's difficulty was not the finding OF
evidence to justify the proclamation,
lu. the selecting of it from the enor-
nous mass OF evidence they possessed.
There was sufficient foundation to JUS
tify the proclamation III the columns oil
the local newspaper without gong into
the Government confidential reports.
Mr.. Bnlfour argued that when Mr..
Gladstone proclaimed the Land League
he did so when Parnell was lmprlson L
and when Parliament was not sitting,
and that he afforded no Information 10
any one concerned. He quoted at
length from documents to show that
tie league was guilty of boycotting,,
coercing, and insiIgatlng attractions OF
law. :,
Sir William Vernon Harcourt asked
Mr.. Balfour whether the documents
from which ne qaoted would be sub
,niftpd 70 the House.
M. B.lfour refused TO submit the
documents, and, proceeding, narrated
other instances of the leagues uniaw-
full action.
Sir William asked the Speaker whe-
ther Ballour was bound to table the OH
cial documents cited.
The Speaker replied that Belfour was
not bound to table confidential docd-
ments. but the case was different with
official papers which the House might
want TO verify. Opposition cheers
SIR Harcourt "After the Speaker $
ruling expec. that the papers will DO
tabled.
MIR. Balfour 81 shall do nothing OF
the kind. My documents are OF three
sorts-public and confidential papers
and nv own notes. II the people
realized the true nature and working OF
the league. they would, regardless OF
creed or party, support the Govern
mept." fAlinistC rial cheers.
Balfour accused the oppoSltioh